


Hold You Close (To Keep You Warm)

by ChaoticDemon



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: 5+1 Things, Cuddling, Fluff, Huddling For Warmth, M/M, Mutual Pining, Not Canon Compliant, at all
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-04
Updated: 2019-06-04
Packaged: 2020-03-20 11:49:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,625
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18992071
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChaoticDemon/pseuds/ChaoticDemon
Summary: Five times Tony and Bucky cuddled for warmth and one time they didn't bother with the pretense.





	Hold You Close (To Keep You Warm)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sara_wolfe](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sara_wolfe/gifts).



1.

“Get over here,” Bucky repeated. “You look ridiculous.”

“You look ridiculous,” Tony replied petulantly, staring longingly at the smoking crater that had been a Hydra base just a few hours before. His armor was somewhere in there, battered and broken beyond any use. Tony fought the urge to shiver. What he wouldn’t give for his suit’s heating system right now.

Bucky rolled his eyes. “Tony,” he said, “It’s dark, it’s snowing, our ride won’t be here for another hour, and you’re wearing a t-shirt. You’re going to freeze.”

A fresh gust of chilled air swept over the both of them. It wasn’t that Tony didn’t want to take Bucky up on his offer; it was just… “I’m fine,” he insisted. He crossed his arms over his chest in what he hoped came across as relaxed and not like he was trying to preserve what little body heat he had. Judging from the look Bucky gave him, the other man wasn’t fooled.

“Tony,” Bucky said again, much more softly this time, “please.” He held a hand out to Tony.

Tony shivered. Slowly, he took Bucky’s hand. Bucky pulled him closer. Tony followed. Soon enough, he was flush against Bucky’s chest, the soldier’s arms wrapped tightly around him. Tony sighed and pressed his cheek against Bucky’s jacket. It was wonderful, the warmth and feel of someone else, of Bucky, against his skin. He tucked his head into the crook of Bucky’s neck. Bucky stroked Tony’s hair with one hand and Tony shuddered. They’d move when Natasha got here to pick them up. Until then, this was much better than hypothermia.

 

2.

“Clint’s never going to let us live this down,” Tony said lightly. He watched Bucky’s right hand clench into a fist again. “Who do you think is going to be more insufferable, him or Sam?”

Bucky took a couple of shaky breaths before replying. “Are you serious?” he turned to Tony and his left shoulder twitched, like he was trying to reach out with his arm. Unfortunately, his left arm was currently detached and sitting somewhere outside the walk-in freezer they’d been shoved into. The very functional freezer. Tony could see the tight lines of near panic on Bucky’s face, coated in frost.

Tony made a cross motion over his arc reactor. Bucky snorted. “Natasha, obviously,” he said.

“She’s not that bad,” Tony protested.

Bucky shook his head. “She is in russian.” He smiled at Tony for a fleeting moment before his expression smoothed out once more. He started pacing again, looking more like a caged animal than ever.

“Hey,” Tony said, reaching out a hand to touch Bucky gently on his shoulder. He’d meant to offer some sort of reassurance, had hoped he figure out something to say that would make the other man seem less likely to jump out of his skin, but when Bucky halted and turned to look at him, his mouth failed him. “I’m cold,” he blurted out after a few long seconds.

Bucky raked his eyes over Tony’s form. Tony shivered helplessly. He held out both of his arms as if inviting Bucky in for a hug. “Warm me up?” Tony asked.

Bucky stepped into Tony’s arms and the tense lines of his body relaxed. “We can’t have you freezing to death,” Bucky said, his hand clutching tightly to the back of Tony’s jacket.

“No, Tony said, leaning into the touch and tapping his fingers lightly on Bucky’s back. “We certainly can’t.”

 

3.

“Is that ice?” Rhodey said, looking at the vent in horror.

“I think so,” Tony said in the same tone.

“You guys are ridiculous,” Bucky informed them. Tony looked over at where he was sitting on one of the benches with his head resting against the wall, eyes closed. He didn’t seem cold at all, the monster. No goosebumps or anything.

“Are you seriously not cold at all?” Rhodey asked incredulously.

Bucky lazily opened one eye and stuck his tongue out at him. Tony choked back a laugh. Bucky turned to Tony and winked, patting the seat next to him. “Come here,” he said. Tony made short work of the distance and plopped himself down next to Bucky, who immediately wrapped an arm around Tony’s shoulders and tugged him closer. Tony sighed, relaxing into the other man’s side, resting his head on Bucky’s shoulder. He closed his eyes. It was all quiet for a few moments, just the line of heat from Bucky and the furious hum of the overworked A/C system.

“Scoot over,” Rhodey said suddenly, sitting in the empty spot next to Tony. Tony shifted even more into Bucky, and Rhodey wrapped his arms around Tony’s waist, fingers burrowing into Bucky’s side.

Bucky jumped. “What the hell, Rhodes?”

Rhodey snorted. “So now you feel cold?” He snuggled into Tony. “You guys are disgusting together, honestly. If you’re going to make me watch it, the least you can do is keep me warm.” Bucky grumbled under his breath and Tony patted the arm thrown over his shoulder. He closed his eyes again, prepared to wait there for however long he needed to.

 

4.

“You doing okay?” Bucky asked. Tony turned to glance at him and had to take another sip of champagne to counter his suddenly dry throat. He looked, well, there was something wonderful about Bucky in a nice suit, hair tied back, the glittering lights in the background behind him.

“I’m doing great,” Tony said honestly. Out here on the balcony, with only himself and now Bucky for company, it was easy to forget there was a gala going on inside. “Better now,” he added with a smile.

“That’s good,” Bucky told him. “I was just a little concerned, what with you standing out here all by yourself.” He stared at Tony intently with those dazzling eyes of his. Tony’s stomach squirmed. His fingers clenched tightly around the stem of his champagne flute and he had to force himself to relax. Bucky’s eyes darted away from his and shifted his weight from one foot to the other. “That’s good,” he repeated. “I’ll just head back inside and leave you alone.”

Tony bit his lip. “It’s a little chilly out tonight, don’t you think?” Bucky hummed noncommittally but made no other action. “In fact,” Tony continued, “I’m pretty cold right now.”

“Yeah?” Bucky asked. He glanced back at the party raging inside and then out at the view from the balcony. “Well, we can’t have that, can we?” He stepped closer to Tony, so close that their sides were pressed together, and wrapped an arm around Tony’s shoulders. Tony hummed contentedly. Yeah, he was doing great.

 

5.

It was dark in the living room, the only light coming from the bright television screen. It was playing some old movie, selected because Bucky had a terrible weakness for westerns. Tony was sitting on one end of the couch, Bucky on the other, a bowl of popcorn between them. There was also a blanket on the floor, leftover from Clint before he’d gotten bored and wandered off. It was nice, Tony thought, watching a movie, just he and Bucky. It could be nicer, though. He glanced away from the screen, looking at the other man from the corner of his eye. Bucky was curled up against the arm of the couch, bare feet tucked up underneath him. He hadn’t minded cuddling with Tony before, whenever Tony had claimed to be cold. Maybe that was the only reason he’d been willing, but Tony was starting to wonder. “Are you cold?” Tony asked aloud.

Bucky glanced at him briefly before turning his gaze back to the screen. “Not really,” he said, “Why?”

Tony gave a little sigh. “Are you sure?” he asked. “If you were, you could use Clint’s blanket.” He leaned forward to grab it, shaking it to get rid of all the stray bits of popcorn. He glanced back at Bucky, who was watching him with a furrowed brow. “It’s a little chilly in here for me, too.” He gave an unconvincing shiver. “We only have one blanket though. It you were cold, too, we’d have to share,” he explained, deliberately ignoring the fact that he could have the temperature in the room increased with a few words. He met Bucky’s eyes, now wide, and held out the blanket. “So, are you sure you’re not cold?”

Bucky stared at Tony with wide eyes, his posture tense. Tony started to wonder if he’d been wrong after all. After a few long seconds, Bucky reached out and grabbed the blanket, fingers lingering on Tony’s. “I guess I’m cold after all,” he said. He sat up and Tony hurriedly moved the popcorn to the side table. Within a few moments, Tony was curled up against the arm of the couch, Bucky curled up against him, and the blanket draped over them both.

 

+1

Tony couldn’t keep the grin off his face. Bucky had insisted on going to a local fair and had dragged a very willing Tony with him. It was crowded, but Tony didn’t mind. Bucky was having fun, and that was all Tony needed. Well, almost everything. He pondered his next move. He could say he was cold again. He quickly rejected that idea as overdone. He could claim to be trying to avoid getting lost in the crowd. He tossed that idea aside, too. He considered his other options for a moment before he pressed up against Bucky’s side and wrapped an arm around his waist.

Bucky’s arm settled around his shoulders and pulled Tony closer. “You cold?” he asked.

Tony shook his head. “Not at all,” he told him. “You?”

Bucky pressed a kiss to Tony’s hairline. “No,” he said, “Not even a little.”


End file.
